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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23844295">When We Ruled The Waves</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/PredictablePisces/pseuds/PredictablePisces'>PredictablePisces</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>N/A - Fandom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, F/M, Fantasy, How Do I Tag, I Tried, Magic, Pirates, oh boy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 20:01:45</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,358</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23844295</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/PredictablePisces/pseuds/PredictablePisces</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Captain Beck "The Witch" Melling has been working to save those with magic in their blood for years. Aboard her ship, The Medusa, she and her crew terrorize slaving ships that are hired by the Empire. This is the story of her, her crew, and run-ins that happen too often to be coincidence.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Dust to Danger</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hi all! I am finally getting brave enough (or bored enough) to post my stories and musings somewhere other than in my Google Drive. Comments are greatly appreciated! Let me know how I'm doing!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The market was pure chaos. Bodies pushed and shoved from every side. Street urchins ran under foot, light fingers dashing into and out of pockets. Travelers bumped through the crowd with giant packs, on to their next adventure. The smell of foreign spices filled the air from the countless stalls piled high with bright pyramids of saffron, cinnamon, dried ginger and more unrecognizable herbs. Merchants shouted their wares over the roar of conversation, changing prices for every new customer. Mothers haggled for their weekly bread and eggs, while their children pulled on their skirts and begged for sweets. Stalls boasted everything from razor sharp weapons to strange vegetables, love spells to shining pots and pans, woven clothing to snarling and snapping animals. The hot dry air was dusty from the feet shuffling the dirt path between stalls. Though it seemed anarchic, the Ammeda Market was the place to go to find anything that you could ever need. Each street offered more goods to waste money on. And the further in one dove, the less reputable those goods became. </p>
<p>Deep within the market, where even the guards avoided on their patrols, spies, cutthroats, thieves, and every other black profession sold their own unique services. Here blood money bought information. Here dark schemes were hatched.  </p>
<p>Here was where I needed to be. </p>
<p>	Only my first and second mates followed me to this part of Ammeda. Each of our faces concealed by the dark cowls of the coats which brushed our dusty boots with each brisk step. The other customers around us shied away at the sight of gleaming steel flashing in rays of sunlight which shone through the ripped canopy above the market. Sweat slipped down my back, partly from the sweltering heat that the canopies did nothing to abate, and partly from the nerves that ripped  through my insides. </p>
<p>	The nerves were not from the dangerous clientele we walked among, rather the knowledge that if we were recognized here certain people were sure to find out, and if that happened we would be done for. Our false reputation of peaceful merchants would be blown away. </p>
<p>	Our steps slowed as we reached our destination, a nondescript mottled black tent. So many patches had been sewn on to mend the walls, I doubted any of the original material remained. The canopy over the dark maw-like entrance sagged and the frayed edges of the material hung limply in the heat. Nefariously curious eyes watched from the shadows as we glanced around and my first and second mates plunged into the dark of the entrance.  </p>
<p>	I took a deep breath before I followed, suddenly struck with a stronger wave of unease than the one that had washed over me during the walk here. I cast one last look over my shoulder as if the source of my anxiety would reveal themselves. </p>
<p>They didn’t. </p>
<p>No one is here. I told myself as I followed after my crew into the dark.</p>
<p>	I forced myself to take a step. Two. Three. Then ten measured steps in complete darkness. Suddenly a bright light blinded me. I blinked several times trying to adjust my eyes to the light within the tent.</p>
<p>	“I wish you’d stop enchanting your tent to be so damned bright, it kills my eyes every time.” I grumbled pressing my palms into my throbbing eyeballs. </p>
<p>	“Oh you poor baby,” a voice chirped in reply, not sounding nearly apologetic enough. “It must be so hard being the feared captain of the most dangerous pirate ship on the seas, having sensitive eyes.”</p>
<p>	Two sets of chuckles sounded from my right, and I squinted in their direction, wary of any other burning my retinas might endure. My first and second mates had thrown their heavy coats off onto the plush colorful ottomans and had taken up positions reclined upon a pile of pillows as they drank chilled wine and  snacked lightly off of a fruit and cheese platter. </p>
<p>	“Enjoying yourselves, are you?” I asked drily . </p>
<p>	“Oh, immensely, Captain.” My first mate, Neva, joked as she tossed a bright red grape into her mouth. Her warm brown eyes glowed with mirth, as she smirked at me. Next to her my second, Rusana, just scoffed a laugh and poured me a goblet of wine from the decanter on the low mahogany table between the two. </p>
<p>	As I accepted the cup, I turned to our host. She was standing in the middle of the richly decorated room which looked like it belonged in a grand sprawling palace. The floors were covered in intricate carpets whose bright colors  continued onto the jewel toned mosaics that covered the walls.  The room was much too large to fit in the small shabby tent that I had entered ten steps ago. Our host matched the room perfectly, with a turquoise silk dress that wrapped around her waist before draping luxuriously over her delicate shoulders. Her chocolate hair twisted in an intricate spiral around her head, with a few wisps perfectly framing her fine cheekbones. Braided in among the coils were fine strands of gold that made her bronze skin look like it glowed from within. </p>
<p>	“Sidri, it’s good to see you.” I said warmly, moving forward for a hug. </p>
<p>	“Ah, ah Captain, you keep your distance until you get that grimy coat off, this dress is more expensive than your precious ship.”Sidri scolded, taking a step back as she raised hands covered in delicate whorls of ink.  I sighed and shed the heavy wool coat, tossing it on top of where the others left theirs.</p>
<p>	“You’ve got to have some spell in that bag of tricks of yours that’ll clean your precious dresses.” Rusana teased from the floor. </p>
<p>	Sidri rolled her eyes and with a flick of her finger, sent a grape flying to smack my second in the middle of the forehead, before pulling me into a hug that smelled of cinnamon. “It’s good to see you too, Beck.” she responded with equal warmth in her richly accented voice. </p>
<p>	“Now, Sid, I wonder who you got that dressed up for?” Neva questioned, shooting a wink to Rusana. </p>
<p>	Sidri released me, blushed and snapped a reply back in her native language. I only managed to catch a colorful curse word and something about the importance of minding one's own business. I glanced at Rusana and saw her with a deep red tinge as well. </p>
<p>	I picked my glass up from the table and settled down on an ottoman across from my crew. “Sid, we need to get down to business. I'm sorry that this isn’t a social call but we need information.” I said quickly, interrupting her. </p>
<p> 	“Ach, it’s always business with you lot. Would it kill you to sit still for a moment?”</p>
<p>	“There are people who need our help out there, Sid. For their sake, we can’t afford to stop.” Neva responded, an apology in her voice. </p>
<p>	Sidri leveled her gaze to each of us, eyes filled with emotion from the memories which were undoubtedly running through her mind, and replied softly, “I know. Better than most, I think.” Sid agreed, dropping her heavy stare and busying herself with filling her glass. “Yes, business first, then I might be able to convince you to stay for a drink once we’re done.” Sidri said, a  mischievous grin slipping across her lips as her gaze met Rusana’s with a different kind of weight in it.. </p>
<p>	I gently cleared my throat, and the mage roseto her feet and stepped over to her scrying bowl situated in a dark corner. I glanced at Rus, and bit back a smile. She was trying for nonchalance as she sprawled on the cushions on the floor, but her cheeks nearly matched her flaming curls that were slowly escaping her braid. </p>
<p>	Neva followed Sidri over to the bowl and peered over her shoulder, trying to see what the mage saw in the enchanted water. Her ceaseless curiosity driving her nose into places it probably shouldn’t be. </p>
<p>	“Give me some space, Vossler.” Sid snapped, “You won’t be able to See, no matter how hard you try.”</p>
<p>	“I don’t know how you can make sense of those shadows anyways,” Neva huffed as she returned to her seat and continued eating the grapes. </p>
<p>	It was quiet for a few moments as Sidri searched through the shadows of the world. Her eyes darted around, looking at nothing but Seeing everything. Her brows furrowed as tendrils of night flowed over the rim of the bowl and coiled around her forearms, like snakes borne of the darkness. We remained quiet so that Sid could keep her focus as she tried to find those we could help. I took the opportunity to mull over how exactly I was going to ask her to find him. </p>
<p>	Godfrey. </p>
<p>	Captain Mack Godfrey. </p>
<p>	He kept popping up at the most inopportune times. And whenever surfaced, chaos was bound to follow. It was infuriating. How could one man be such a pain in my ass? He had managed to sabotage multiple operations that we organized. Whether his actions were on accident or purposeful, his repeated interruptions were becoming suspicious. I needed to know more about him. For my crew's safety. For the safety of the people we were helping. And not at all for my own curiosity. </p>
<p>	“There’s a group on the coast of Apros. About fifteen of them. It looks like they’ve been running for a while now. A few of them have the sigil of Dryenta on them somewhere, necklaces and bracelets. Most of them are young, not old enough to see if they have abilities but soon.” Sidri stated, brushing off the remaining shadows from her arms, sweat dampening the tendrils of hair lying on her neck. </p>
<p>	“Perfect, we can be there within a week. Where on the coast are they? Could they make it to Port Camnau in time?” I asked brusquely, setting down my cup and picking up my coat. </p>
<p>	“If they hurry they will, I’ll send them a shadow raven.” Sidri replied. </p>
<p>	Neva stood as well, pulling her coat on and hugging Sidri, promising to have a proper visit soon. Rusana followed my first mate. Putting her jacket on, however her hug to the mage was a beat too long to be considered just a friendly gesture. </p>
<p>	Before my second released her, Sidri whispered something in her ear and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. For the third time, since we had entered in the enchanted tent, Rusana’s cheeks flamed and she all but ran out of the tent after Neva. </p>
<p>	Sidri watched after her, a soft smile on her lips and a contemplative tilt to her head. </p>
<p>	“Sid, I have another question for you before we leave.” I asked softly, though we were the only two left in the room. </p>
<p>	She nodded her head like she expected my demand. </p>
<p>	“There’s another captain. He keeps appearing wherever The Medusa lands, and making a mess of our operations. I need to know more about him. His name is-”</p>
<p>	“Mack Godfrey, captain of The Sapphire Rose.” Sidri interrupted me before I could finish. </p>
<p>	If it could reach, my jaw would have brushed  the tiled floor in shock. “How do you know him?” I demanded.</p>
<p>	“Oh, I keep an eye on you all through the bowl, I’ve seen a few of your interactions. He is quite handsome isn’t he?” Sid noted with an unbothered air, busying herself with cleaning up the nearly empty platter of fruits and cheeses, “He’s quite harmless... well for a pirate, that is. But it isn't a coincidence that he keeps running into you and your ship.”</p>
<p>	“How does he keep finding us?” I demanded, deliberately not focusing on the comment she made about his looks. She wasn’t wrong. But there was a more pressing issue. </p>
<p>	“I don’t know-” Sidri began, but was soon interrupted by my first and second mates charging back through the entrance. </p>
<p>	“Captain, we have a problem.” Neva stated as she slid to a stop. </p>
<p>	“What is it?” I asked, immediately on guard. </p>
<p>	“The bastard found us again.” Rusana spoke, just as calm as my first mate. They were seasoned fighters, used to things going wrong and adapting immediately. </p>
<p>	I cursed colorfully. “We need to get to the ship. Now.” Authority ringing in my voice, “Where is he?”</p>
<p>	“A few stalls down, he’s got three men with him.” Neva replied.</p>
<p>	“Let’s get out of here. We need to leave before Sid’s cover is blown.” Rusana proclaimed, worry tinged her voice as her eyes darted between the three of us. </p>
<p>	“If he is that close, he is bound to see you leaving. My cover will be blown as soon as you walk out.” Commented Sidri, with hands on her hips. </p>
<p>	“Did he see you come back in?” I asked my crew, they just shrugged in return.</p>
<p>	“Well, it’s no use, I’ll just come with you. Give me a moment to pack my things. I’ve been looking for an excuse to relocate as it is.” Sidri stated, pinning us all with a look that dared us to argue.</p>
<p>	“Fine,” I said after a moment of silence,” just be quick about it.”</p>
<p>	“Good, this damned excuse for a black market is too dreary for my tastes.” Sidri rushed across the room, fingers flying in intricate patterns as objects around the room flew into trunks and cabinets, while rugs rolled themselves up and stacked in a corner. She pulled back a gauzy white curtain to reveal a luscious bed stacked high with blankets and pillows. Sid dodged dresses and jewelry and clothes that were speeding into closets and boxes and snatched a small gold and emerald box from her nightstand. </p>
<p>	Neva, ever impatient, was shuffling from foot to foot next to the entrance. With her sword already in her hand, she said, “Sid. We need to go now, do you have everything you need? We are going to have to leave the tent. We don’t have enough time to take it down.” </p>
<p>	“I’m ready,” Sidri snapped, quickly making her way over to us still clutching the small box. “We are going to have time. I am not leaving anything behind.”</p>
<p>         Neva looked ready to object, but I interrupted brusquely walking towards the entrance, “If you’re ready then let’s go. If we hurry we can hopefully make it back to The Medusa without them following us.” </p>
<p>         I plunged into the dark, and pulled my hood up to cover my face, then ten steps later I was back in the dusty, blistering heat of the market. My First and Second emerged behind me, hoods drawn also. Sidri was hot on their heels, she had magicked a dark navy cloak over her dress while we were exiting and had her hood drawn too. My crew scanned up and down the street looking for our unwanted visitors.  </p>
<p>         “Alright Sid, do your thing. We need to get moving.” Rusana mumbled, her hand resting on the hilt of the wickedly sharp hatchet that was stuck through her belt. <br/>Sid snapped her fingers and the entire tent flew off the ground, twisted together, and vacuumed into the emerald box. The only evidence that it had been there a moment ago was the dust that had been disturbed from the motion. She pocketed the golden item and nodded.</p>
<p>         We still hadn't seen Godfrey or his crew yet, “It isn’t going to be long until those worms find us. Back to the ship. We stay together unless I say otherwise. Let’s go.” I ordered. </p>
<p>         Before we could move out, a deep voice shouted from behind us, “You there, stop!”</p>
<p>         I whipped my head to the voice and saw four armed men each with a red clenched fist emblazoned on the white field of their surcoats that declared them the official guards of Ammeda Market. They must have been brave or stupid to venture this far into lawless center of the market. Damn, this is not preferable. <br/>I didn’t take the time to figure out which one spoke. I pushed on Sidri’s back and ordered my crew to run. Deciding that worrying about Godfrey’s crew was a problem for later, when all our boots were safely on the deck of The Medusa. </p>
<p>         Rusana and Neva took off like shots down the alley, Sidri close on their heels. Before I followed, I pulled a small brown paper envelope from one of the many pockets and hiding spaces within my coat and threw it at the feet of the guards. By the time the dark smoke that erupted from the packet cleared, the dust from our escaping feet had already settled.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. We Have To Stop Meeting Like This</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Our flying feet brought us to the more innocuous parts of the market in record time. Neva was leading the way with Rusana a few steps behind ensuring that Sidri could keep up with the swift pace my Second was keeping. I followed a short distance behind making certain that neither the guards nor Godfrey were following us. Sid’s steps had started becoming slower, her breaths became gasps under the punishing pace Neva had set. With every sharp turn we had taken to the docks we had started shouldering past more and more people who gave us glares as we rushed past them. </span>
  <em>
    <span>We are attracting too much damned attention for a clean getaway.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Neva, seemingly reading my thoughts, slowed her pace to a stop and we gathered together under an awning of a tent that was sporting an impressive array of chamber pots. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think we’ve lost them.” Sidri panted, doubling over like she was about to put her hands on her knees. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rusana took her upper arm gently and forced her to stand up straight. “You’re not going to get any air bent over like a sapling.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Captain, we should split up. We may have lost the guards, but we have no idea where Godfrey is. If we have smaller groups we are less likely to be spotted.” Neva gasped, her adrenaline not letting her get a full breath in. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re right. Rus and Sid. Stay together. Keep to the crowded areas of the market, blend in, try not to catch anyone's attention,” I ordered brusquely,     ”Neva, you’re with me. Whoever gets back to the ship first starts preparing to push off. Give the others an hour then </span>
  <em>
    <span>leave.</span>
  </em>
  <span> If the other pair misses the rendezvous, leave them. Go to Port Camnau. Find the refugees. Understood?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No one argued. The thought of possibly leaving someone behind caused my insides to clench and roil. But we followed the code, we were pirates after all. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“May strong winds carry you home.” Rusana and Sidri recited the farewell and disappeared into the throngs of people crowding the market. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neva and I turned down a different thoroughfare and kept a fast enough pace to travel quickly but slow enough to still blend in with the shoppers meandering through the market. Our hoods were up in the stifling heat as we paused by a stand boasting singing match boxes, we feigned interest as we gained our bearings and used the shop selling mirrors next door to check if we had been followed further. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, as far as inconvenient happenings stand, we have been in worse situations.” Neva murmured, feigning interest in a box that sang bawdy shanties whenever someone was using it.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Neva, though you might not believe me, your sunny remarks do nothing to help us in this situation.” I replied, trying not to let my racing pulse and shaking hands show. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neva huffed a near silent laugh and cast a quick glance over her shoulder. With a deadly serious voice she said,  “We should keep moving, Beck.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I put the box back on the table and glanced at the mirrors, double checking that the unfortunately familiar blond head that belonged to Godfrey hadn’t followed us. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fortunately, Captain Mack Godfrey was not behind us.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Unfortunately, the market guards were. They hadn’t spotted us yet, but it would be a matter of moments until they recognized our hooded forms. Across the aisle of stalls, a group of lively tavern-goers spilled out onto the street. The warm day allowed the patrons to sit outside and all the tables on the street were taken, however there still seemed to be seats left in the dark main room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I nudged Neva with my shoulder and nodded to the door leading inside.  We walked across the busy road keeping our pace as normal as possible. Running would only attract attention from the guards. Hoods were common enough in the market that our robes, thankfully, did not give us away immediately. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It took a moment for our eyes to adjust to the shadowed interior of the tavern compared to the vibrant sunlight outside. Unbidden, Neva moved through the crowd to the bar to ask the woman serving if there was a back door out of the tavern. I watched her back as she gave an abridged version of our situation, and asked for an escape.  Our usual excuse to use pubs as through points was to imply that we were receiving unwanted attention by other patrons. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>To be fair, this wasn’t usually a lie. We did receive unwanted attention, and quite a lot of it, but not just because we were women. It was usually because we had just robbed someone blind. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neva spoke to the barmaid rapidly, she knew we were on a tight schedule, it would be a matter of moments before the guards realized we weren’t on the street. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just as the woman pointed to the door that must have led into the kitchen, the guards pushed through the open doorway. Their gazes scanned the room, still adjusting to the dim interior. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before they had a chance to spot us, I rammed into a man next to me. Judging by the flush high on his cheeks and his unfocused gaze, he had already been here for a few hours and had his share to drink. The foot of space on all sides of him was enough to tell me that he was one of the least liked patrons slouched over the bar.  His glass fell to the floor, shattering into the perfect excuse for a brawl. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Clumsy bastard!” He shouted, slurring his words so much that I could barely make them out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s your own fault, you drunkard.” I taunted back, balanced on my feet waiting for his next move. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just as I expected, he slid off his stool and clumsily sent a wild swing at my head. I ducked out of the way and pushed him into a group of young men who had just settled down at the table behind him. Ale, plates of food, and glass  flew as the table tipped over under the man's weight. The boys jumped up from their seats, and grabbed the man. Each pushing and shoving into the other tables around them. The chaos quickly spread to the rest of the room. We were lucky that it was late enough in the day that all the patrons already have a few drinks in them. I blocked a fist heading to my stomach and pushed it’s owner back into the fray. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A ceramic plate full of what appeared to be shrimp sailed towards Neva’s back. I pulled her out of the way and turned to the woman behind the bar, “Is that backdoor open?” She only nodded, hiking her thumb over her shoulder to the swinging door behind her. She showed no fear at the drunken brawl in the room, only boredom and frustration. She’s the one that probably has to clean up this mess later. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neva and I vaulted the bar and I pressed a few gold pieces into her palm as I passed.  I mumbled a quick apology and followed Neva through the door to the kitchen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The door to the alley was propped open to give the stuffy room a slight breeze. Neva glanced around to make sure there was no one waiting for us. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m almost disappointed,” She commented absently, “The smart ones always have someone waiting in the back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, hopefully in the future we’ll deal with smarter market guards. Would that make you happy?” I asked drily as I peered into the narrow alley. The only movement came from a cat streaking from a garbage basket that had been knocked over, a cornucopia of trash for the vermin. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even from outside, the noise from the tavern is almost earsplitting. The narrow street was a dead end so we were forced back onto the main road we had come from. When we peered around the corner we saw that the brawl had spilled out onto the street. Men, ceramic dishware, tables, and chairs flew in every direction. Shouts and insults were traded between blows, and pleas for the guards were going up in earnest. From far off, whistles could be heard from the narrow maze-like streets. It was lucky we were close enough to the center of the market. This level of chaos would not have been possible without the high population of less than exemplary citizens. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>We left our cover and waded through the outskirts of the ruck. Neva and I have been together since we were children. Watching each other’s backs is second nature. She pulled me out of the way of a flying tackle, and in the same breath I slapped a mug of ale barreling toward her face out of the air. I ducked out of the way of a fist, and she followed up with one of her own. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know, this is usually when Godfrey shows up. Right when it’s least </span>
</p><p>
  <span>convenient for us.” Neva grunted between punches. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m just hoping we lost him before we went into the tavern.” I gritted back as I pushed through the edge of the fight, my first mate in front of me. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>We had made it into a dark narrow alley that would eventually lead us to the docks, and we could make the deadline if we rushed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I don’t know what it was that warned me that someone was reaching for my unguarded back. Maybe a change in the air or a shadow in my periphery, but all the same, someone was behind me. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before they could make contact with my cloak, I spun, reaching for their chest in the same movement. In one breath, they were behind me. In the next, they were slammed against the wall of the alley, my left hand gripped a fistfull of their tunic in an iron vice, and my right hand held a wicked dagger, glinting dully in the dim light, against their throat. Neva had moved her position to block the entry of the alley, and to hide us from sight. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I was just about to demand answers before I started spilling blood, when a rich voice froze me in my boots. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Captain Melling, we </span>
  <em>
    <span>have</span>
  </em>
  <span> to stop meeting like this.” I decided right then and there that the tone the person was using was too carefree for having a dagger a misstep away from slitting their throat. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>So I pressed it down hard enough for a slight well of scarlet blood to kiss the razor edge.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Captain Godfrey, I wish I could say it’s been too long since I’ve last seen you, but it would be lifetimes before I would miss your face.” The deadliness of my blade matched my voice, yet Captain Mack Godfrey seems almost amused by my response. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yet everyday I go without seeing you breaks my heart evenmore, Beck.” Neva scoffed at his attempted flirting, “What on earth are two polite, respectable ladies like you doing running from a bar fight that you started? You’re missing out on all the fun.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That is none of your business, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Mack</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” I spat, “How many of your men are in that crowd? I didn’t see any of their ugly mugs.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, if everything is going to plan, they should be following your second mate and that lovely sorcerer down to</span>
  <em>
    <span>The Medusa.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” He was grinning, and my heart froze. I saw Neva stiffen out of the corner of my eye, her hand slowly going to the pistol on her hip.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I returned my attention to Godfrey’s face. His grin didn’t show his usual joviality. It was all mouth and nothing else. His blue green eyes did not crinkle at the corners, and the dimples on his cheeks had disappeared. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just as quickly as it had frozen, my heart thawed and started racing like a thoroughbred. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s bluffing,” I said to Neva, and the hand I had gripped in his clothes started patting down his sides, a half formed plan slowly taking place in my mind, “Here, Neva. Take these, and check his boots for more.” I passed her the weapons strapped to his chest and waist, while she pulled out two more daggers from his boots. Godfrey was truly smiling now, I ignored it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Beck, what are you thinking?” Neva asked, throwing the weapons on the ground, but keeping a beautiful pistol for herself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s our ticket back to </span>
  <em>
    <span>The Medusa</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and we are going to buy ourselves a bit of time while we’re at it. One move, Godfrey, and your crew will find nothing of your body, only a blood trail to the nearest pig pen. Got it?” I emphasized the question by shoving him harder against the wall and pressing my dagger against his throat with renewed vigor.</span>
</p><p><span>He went to open his mouth but I stopped him before he could speak, “No words, Captain. Only slow precise movements. Nod if you understand,” The man nodded slowly, his full lips twisting like he was trying to hold back laughter, “Nev, keep your gun out and on him. If he even thinks about fighting, I want you to kill him and start looking for pigs.” </span><span><br/></span> <span>Her response was to only cock her pistol. </span></p><p>
  <span>“Alright, Mackie, listen to us, and you might be able to drink ale with your idiot first mate as he laughs at you for getting beaten by two girls,” I heaved him off the wall, my hand now fisted in the back of his collar, and my knife pressed between his fourth and fifth ribs, a quick plunge away from his heart. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I pushed him down the alley, nearly sprinting to the docks. When we rounded the last corner, the sea air washed over the three of us like a salty wave. In the distance, I could see</span>
  <em>
    <span>The Medusa</span>
  </em>
  <span> edging out of her berth. Crisp white sales billowing, and the figurehead of a beautiful woman snarling with a mess of snakes for hair shining in the afternoon sun. Not far away, Mack’s own ship, </span>
  <em>
    <span>The Sapphire Rose</span>
  </em>
  <span> was rocking gently in the water, only a skeleton crew on board. But enough to do what we needed done. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Neva, take the Captain. But do try to make it look like we </span>
  <em>
    <span>aren’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> holding him prisoner. We don’t want the Harbor Guards after us as well.” I passed Godfrey into her steady hands, he looked like he wanted to continue talking, but I pinned him with a glare as we set off down the wooden docks, Mack nearly bouncing on the balls of his feet in delight. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The two of them are right behind me as I stride up the gangplank of Mack’s ship, “Good afternoon, gentlemen. Kindly drop your weapons overboard so that you won’t have to scrape your captain’s brains off the deck of the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Rose</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His crew obviously didn’t listen, and they all jumped to their weapons. I pulled my own pistol and aimed it steadily at Mack’s first mate, whom he must have left in charge while he was out stalking me, “Have you lot gotten stupider from the last time I saw you, or is there so much cotton stuffed in your ears that you can’t hear me properly?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Captain Mellin, it’s good to see you,” Norton Barlow, the first mate, said like he was trying to calm a spooked horse while he slowly reached for his own pistol.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now, now, Mister Barlow. We both know that’s simply not true. I hope you’re reaching for that pistol so that you can throw it in the harbor like I kindly asked you to do.” I brought the hammer down on my gun and cocked my head at the man. His eyes were flickering between me, Godfrey, and Neva trying to come up with a plan that didn’t get him or his captain killed. Mack gave him a slight nod and smirk. Norton picked his pistol up with two fingers and flicked it into the water with a slight splash, his sword following it a moment later. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good boy,” I purred, “Now the rest of you. If you’re all good little lads, maybe I’ll buy you some sweets later.” One by one they dropped their weapons overboard. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, you lot have really got some practice listening. Let’s see if we can continue this peacefully. All hands, take in the lines and prepare to sail,” They all looked at me like I’d grown an extra head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A different approach would be necessary,“Captain Godfrey, would you like to see tomorrow?” I asked lightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Godfrey only nodded, chest shaking in silent laughter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And Captain Godfrey, would you like Mister Barlow to see tomorrow as well?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Again only a nod and more shaking. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Captain Godfrey, last question, would you like your crew to see tomorrow, too?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A nod and a small chuckle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then get their asses moving, we have a pirate ship to catch.” I growled</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“All right, boys. You heard her. If you want to keep your insides where they’re supposed to be, you’d better get to it.” Godfrey was acting as if this were the funniest comedy show he had ever seen. A true smile lit his face, and laughter filled his words. Norton only rolled his eyes at his captain’s behavior and his men were looking at him like he had lost his mind. His glee at getting kidnapped put me even more on edge.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His men leapt into action, and soon we were pulling away from the docks. The sails snapped open, and the wind whistled through the ropes. </span>
  <em>
    <span>The Medusa</span>
  </em>
  <span> hadn’t even made it out of the bay, and if we were going to catch her, we needed to lose unnecessary weight. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I looked to one of the younger men on the crew, no more than a boy with his first whiskers on his chin, “Do you know how to swim, son?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was taken aback by the question, “What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do. You. Know. How. To. Swim. Son?” With every word I took a slow step closer to him, and with every word he took a step back until his back made contact with the railing of the ship. If I had looked over my shoulder, I would have seen Neva grinning from ear to ear. She knew what was going to happen next. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I do, ma’am why do you want to-” His question was cut off with a shriek as I reached out, snatched his shirt and the fabric of his loose pants and tossed him overboard like a sack of bad potatoes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The crew surged around me, but I again leveled my pistol at Norton. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, Mister Barlow, it appears you have a man overboard,” Neva called as if she was making a comment on the weather from where she was still holding Godfrey, her gun pressed to his temple.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, Mister Barlow, you might want to go fetch him.” I responded, a devilish grin twisting my lips, trying to hide my anxiety.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You </span>
  <em>
    <span>bitch</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Norton snarled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I tutted at him, “No, Norton. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Witch</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He growled, and dove over the railing after the boy. Neva urged the remaining crew members to follow their first mate into the water, unless they wanted to meet an early death on the deck. Splashes and shouting from the men filled the air as I turned to Captain Mack Godfrey, grin still in place. Only to be met by his own, dimples and all. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Captain, would you be so kind as to escort us two helpless ladies back to </span>
  <em>
    <span>The Medusa</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” I asked, sweeter than burnt sugar, smile faltering slightly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Captain, I would be </span>
  <em>
    <span>happy</span>
  </em>
  <span> to,” He made his way to the helm, delight dripping from his words, “may I also say what an absolute delight it has been to be robbed by you today? Truly, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a better example of piracy than kidnapping a captain, stealing his ship, and forcing his crew overboard. All without firing a single shot. Incredible!” He let out a short guffaw and turned the wheel slightly so we were baring down on </span>
  <em>
    <span>The Medusa</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neva raised the white flag up the mast as the distance between the two ships shrunk. I jerked my head below decks, and she disappeared down a ladder into the dark. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where is she going?” Mack asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s dismantling the tiller ropes,” I replied carelessly. We were nearing the exit of the bay and </span>
  <em>
    <span>The Medusa</span>
  </em>
  <span> had weighed anchor to wait for us. Someone must have seen us through the spyglass. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, I see… Can’t have us following you, and all that.” Understanding dawned on Mack.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mack only hummed in response, and walked over to the railing of his ship. Assuming that with his tiller compromised we would leave him alone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know, Godfrey,” I began, walking closer to him, “We really do have to stop.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stop what, my dear?” He asked, still full of amusement.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We have got to stop meeting like this.” And I pushed him over the railing. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The Sapphire Rose</span>
  </em>
  <span> had gotten within boarding distance of </span>
  <em>
    <span>The Medusa</span>
  </em>
  <span> and I dropped the anchor of Mack’s ship.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Neva and I swung across the open abyss between the two ships on ropes hanging from the mast, but not before I left a parting gift for Captain Godfrey. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Carved into the pedestal of the helm on </span>
  <em>
    <span>The Rose</span>
  </em>
  <span> in large, neat, and even letters were the words: </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Property of Captain B. Melling</span>
</p>
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